Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be gracing stadiums throughout Europe from subsequent season onwards, with the Swedish icon having introduced his retirement from skilled soccer after enjoying his ultimate sport for AC Milan over the weekend.
The 41-year-old is extensively thought to be probably the greatest strikers of his technology however didn’t handle to win the Champions League over the course of his profession, though he’s removed from the one legendary determine to have missed out on securing the most important prize in membership soccer.
Categorical Sport takes a take a look at a few of the biggest gamers to have by no means lifted the long-lasting Champions League trophy, with Ibrahimovic in good firm as the most recent retired member of the membership…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Ibrahimovic’s objective file within the skilled sport is actually a formidable one, with the towering Swede having scored 496 instances in 827 complete appearances at membership degree since making his debut for Malmo again in 2001. He has additionally gained quite a few league titles in France, Spain and Italy alongside a Europa League triumph with Manchester United in 2017 however was unable so as to add any Champions League titles to his spectacular file of feat.
The departing AC Milan ahead was at Inter when Barcelona tasted European glory in 2009 earlier than transferring to the Nou Camp when Inter gained the competitors the next season. In the meantime, his ultimate probability to win the Champions League went up in smoke earlier this yr when AC Milan have been knocked out by their metropolis rivals within the semi-finals, though he would have nonetheless been denied a winners’ medal after being omitted of their squad for the knockout phases of the match.
Ronaldo
Ronaldo could have arguably been remembered as probably the most full striker within the historical past of the sport if accidents had not hampered his profession in the way in which that they did. He nonetheless managed to have an amazing profession with the likes of Barcelona, Actual Madrid and Inter however by no means received the chance to raise the Champions League trophy regardless of his finest efforts.
The Brazilian icon didn’t even play in any Champions League finals throughout his profession and joined Actual Madrid the season after they clinched European soccer’s biggest prize again in 2002. He did handle to win the World Cup and a number of other different main trophies at membership degree, although, and it could be troublesome to argue in opposition to Ronaldo being the best participant to have by no means gained the Champions League earlier than hanging up his boots.
Gianluigi Buffon
Buffon has come agonisingly near European glory on a minimum of three events with Juventus, though they misplaced each single one in all their ultimate appearances with the veteran goalkeeper between the sticks. The Italian giants have been crushed by Serie A rivals AC Milan in 2003 and once more by Barcelona in 2015, whereas one other loss adopted two years later by the hands of Actual Madrid.
He went on to affix Paris Saint-Germain for one season in 2018, throughout which they have been eradicated within the first knockout spherical, earlier than returning to Juventus for a interval of two years and as soon as once more failing to win the Champions League with the Previous Woman. Buffon now performs for Parma, the membership at which he began his profession and rejoined in 2021, and is unlikely to earn one other alternative to get his palms on the trophy on the ripe outdated age of 45.
Gabriel Batistuta
Bastituta was one other participant to have gained extra admiration for his exploits at worldwide degree somewhat than for his membership, with the legendary striker changing into Argentina’s prime scorer within the Nineteen Nineties earlier than his file was surpassed by Lionel Messi in 2016. He managed to attain 58 targets in 78 matches for the Albiceleste and gained the Copa America on two events, whereas he additionally lifted the Confederations Cup along with his nation in 1992.
He went on to clinch the Serie A title in 2001 whereas enjoying for Roma after a prolonged and memorable spell at Fiorentina however was evaded by Champions League glory over the course of his profession earlier than retiring in 2005. Batistuta undoubtedly deserved to win much more silverware because of his expertise and proficiency in entrance of objective, though spending a lot of his profession at Fiorentina after they weren’t difficult for home or European titles in the end hampered his possibilities of successful any Champions League titles.
Dennis Bergkamp
Bergkamp is extensively recognised by Arsenal followers as one in all their biggest ever gamers and gained three Premier League titles throughout his time in north London, whereas he additionally managed to raise the FA Cup on 4 separate events. He was additionally a prolific operator for the Netherlands and scored one of the vital iconic targets in current reminiscence when he struck a dramatic late winner in opposition to Argentina within the World Cup quarter-finals in 1998.
He additionally tasted success within the Eredivisie with Ajax, claiming the title as soon as alongside two Dutch Cups, and did win some European silverware within the type of a UEFA Cup and a Cup Winners’ Cup. Nevertheless, the massive one evaded Bergkamp proper up till the final sport of his profession, when he was an unused substitute for runners-up Arsenal in opposition to Barcelona within the Champions League ultimate 18 years in the past.